Postural control in children with and without neurofibromatosis type 1

Previous research has evaluated the motor proficiency of children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and found delays on the balance subtest. However the balance subtest was found to have low sensitivity for identifying balance impairments. This study examines the differences in postural control between children with NF1 and peers with typical development using a force plate. A single limb stance test on a force plate was completed for all participants. The force plate variables, center of pressure maximum distance in the anterior/posterior direction (COPmax A/P) and center of pressure velocity (COPvel A/P) were compared between groups. The NF1 group’s performance was significantly poorer than the control group in both COPmax A/P (p = .01) and COPvel A/P (p = .01). When separated into specific age ranges, only the children in the NF1 group between 5 and 12 years of age demonstrated statistically significant differences in the COP variables. The COP variables for the 13- to 18-year-old group were not significantly different. These results indicate that young children with NF1 have poor postural control. However, postural control appears to improve with maturation.     

Functional cortical connectivity analysis of mental fatigue unmasks hemispheric asymmetry and changes in small-world networks

Changes in functional connectivity across mental states can provide richer information about human cognition than simpler univariate approaches. Here, we applied a graph theoretical approach to analyze such changes in the lower alpha (8–10 Hz) band of EEG data from 26 subjects undergoing a mentally-demanding test of sustained attention: the Psychomotor Vigilance Test. Behavior and connectivity maps were compared between the first and last 5 min of the task. Reaction times were significantly slower in the final minutes of the task, showing a clear time-on-task effect. A significant increase was observed in weighted characteristic path length, a measure of the efficiency of information transfer within the cortical network. This increase was correlated with reaction time change. Functional connectivity patterns were also estimated on the cortical surface via source localization of cortical activities in 26 predefined regions of interest. Increased characteristic path length was revealed, providing further support for the presence of a reshaped global topology in cortical connectivity networks under fatigue state. Additional analysis showed an asymmetrical pattern of connectivity (right > left) in fronto-parietal regions associated with sustained attention, supporting the right-lateralization of this function. Interestingly, in the fatigue state, significance decreases were observed in left, but not right fronto-parietal connectivity. Our results indicate that functional network organization can change over relatively short time scales with mental fatigue, and that decreased connectivity has a meaningful relationship with individual difference in behavior and performance.     

青少年浪漫关系倾向发展特点及其与相关影响因素的关系

采用内隐关系评估测验（IRAP）、单类内隐联想测试（SC-IAT）和问卷法,对204名12～18岁青少年进行研究,考察青少年浪漫关系发展特点,内隐态度、父母依恋及同伴依恋对青少年浪漫关系倾向的预测作用。结果表明：（1）青少年浪漫关系发生倾向存在显著的年级差异,高一年级是青少年浪漫关系发展的敏感时期。（2）青少年浪漫关系内隐态度存在显著的年级差异,随年龄增长,青少年对浪漫关系的支持性增加,但在高三年级略有下降。（3）青少年浪漫关系发生倾向与母亲依恋及同伴依恋呈极其显著负相关。青少年母亲依恋程度在一定程度上可以预测其浪漫关系的发生。     

Academic self-concept of ability and cortisol reactivity

The present study aimed to clarify the relationship between a school-specific trait (academic self-concept of ability [ASCA]) and hormonal stress response by using a trait-compatible stressor (test). First, we determined 52 students' ASCA scores for biology and measured their salivary cortisol concentration before and after a biology test (experimental group, n = 28) or a free writing task (control group, n = 24). For participants who took the test, statistical analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between ASCA score and cortisol response. In contrast, the control group showed a decrease in cortisol concentrations between test times and no correlation between cortisol concentration and ASCA scores were found. These findings indicated an interaction between ASCA scores and hormonal stress response when an academic-related stressor is present. Furthermore, these variables might influence each other adversely: high cortisol concentrations during a test situation may lead to greater feelings of insecurity, resulting in low ASCA scores and awareness of these low scores may lead to a further increase in cortisol, creating a vicious cycle.     

两种估计多维测验合成信度置信区间方法比较

有两种方法可以估计多维测验合成信度的置信区间：Bootstrap法和Delta法.本文用模拟研究比较这两种方法,结果发现,Delta法与Bootstrap法得到结果的差异很小.因为Bootstrap法得到的是实证结果,通常被认为是真值的反映,而Delta法比Bootstrap法简单得多,所以可以用Delta法估计合成信度的置信区间.举例演示如何计算多维测验的合成信度以及用Delta法计算其置信区间.     

Effects of testing on subsequent re‐encoding and long‐term forgetting of action‐relevant materials: On the influence of recall type

Testing one's memory of previously studied information reduces the rate of forgetting, compared to restudy. However, little is known about how this direct testing effect applies to action phrases (e.g., “wash the car”) – a learning material relevant to everyday memory. As action phrases consist of two different components, a verb (e.g., “wash”) and a noun (e.g., “car”), testing can either be implemented as noun‐cued recall of verbs or verb‐cued recall of nouns, which may differently affect later memory performance. In the present study, we investigated the effect of testing for these two recall types, using verbally encoded action phrases as learning materials. Results showed that repeated study–test practice, compared to repeated study–restudy practice, decreased the forgetting rate across 1 week to a similar degree for both noun‐cued and verb‐cued recall types. However, noun‐cued recall of verbs initiated more new subsequent learning during the first restudy, compared to verb‐cued recall of nouns. The study provides evidence that testing has benefits on both subsequent restudy and long‐term retention of action‐relevant materials, but that these benefits are differently expressed with testing via noun‐cued versus verb‐cued recall.     

The rise and fall of the Pacquiao Effect: Contrastive priming and national identification

We demonstrate in a series of field and controlled experiments that assimilative and contrastive priming effects can be observed in the pattern of self‐concept change in response to a major cultural event. Study 1 used the brief implicit association test (BIAT) to measure national identification of Filipinos online across a period of time that encompassed a national sporting event. The pattern of scores support the hypothesis that while people who were ambivalent about identifying with Filipino concepts exhibited an assimilation effect (i.e. a slight rise in identification after the fight), people who already highly identified with being Filipino experienced a contrast effect (i.e. a slight drop in identification). Study 2 replicated this result five months later with a new sample and ruled out several possible alternative hypotheses. A subsequent controlled experiment and a qualitative investigation consistently supported the hypothesis that the pattern observed in the previous studies is more consistent with assimilative and contrastive priming effects rather than disidentification.     

A Systematic Review and Psychometric Evaluation of Adaptive Behavior Scales and Recommendations for Practice

Adaptive behavior scales are vital in assessing children and adolescents who experience a range of disabling conditions in school settings. This article presents the results of an evaluation of the design characteristics, norming, scale characteristics, reliability and validity evidence, and bias identification studies supporting 14 norm-referenced, informant-based interviews and rating scales designed to measure adaptive behaviors. To derive these results, the manuals for each of these scales were reviewed using a standardized coding procedure, and information about each scale was double-coded by reviewers. Findings reveal that several evidence-based adaptive behavior scales are available to school psychologists. Concluding recommendations address selection and use of adaptive behavior scales as part of a comprehensive assessment, using the optimal methods of administration of adaptive behavior scales, and interpreting resultant scores that have demonstrated the highest levels of reliability and the largest body of validity evidence.     

负面评价恐惧的性别差异:基于内隐和外显测量的比较

从内隐和外显两种角度探讨负面评价恐惧的性别差异。采用简式内隐联系测验(BIAT)和简明负面评价恐惧量表(BFNES)两种测量方法,实验共72名被试,每名被试先进行简式内隐联系测验,再完成简明负面评价恐惧量表,并借鉴不同方法对两种测量结果进行分析。结果发现:(1)被试的内隐负面评价恐惧与外显负面评价恐惧不存在显著相关,结果产生实验性分离;(2)负面评价恐惧不存在显著性别差异;(3)但有趣的是,不同性别被试内隐和外显负面评价恐惧的分离状况存在显著差异,其中男性的外显负面评价恐惧低于内隐负面评价恐惧,而女性的结果刚好相反,其外显负面评价恐惧高于内隐负面评价恐惧。这些结果表明被试的内隐和外显负面评价恐惧虽然不存在显著性别差异,但不同性别被试的内隐负面评价恐惧和外显负面评价恐惧内部存在不同的组合状况。